JUST THE FACTS

September 20, 2024 Volume 15 Issue 38

Online Citizen Reporting

PRESS RELEASE from the Rice & Steele 911 Center

8/28/2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Administrator Brian Becker

Rice & Steele 911 Center

(507) 444-0341

August 28, 2024

Owatonna, MN – We are pleased to announce that the Rice & Steele 911 Center (the Emergency Communications Center serving Rice and Steele Counties) has recently implemented Spark, a cutting-edge Online Reporting Tool designed to streamline the process of reporting non-emergency incidents. This tool will enable citizens to easily and securely report issues such as thefts, vandalism, parking complaints, and other non-urgent matters directly through our website, thereby enhancing our efficiency and effectiveness in addressing community concerns and creating a better experience for both the citizen and the Public Safety Telecommunicator.

This process ensures immediate action by dispatch, enabling timely provision of information and deployment of first responders as necessary.

What are some of the key features of the service?

With requests entered into the CAD, Spark eliminates the need to log into a separate application to view the information that Public Safety Telecommunicators need to make decisions.
Spark uses industry standard shapefile lookups to determine jurisdiction, and can accept other available GIS files for experience customization.
Spark leverages the user’s settings to dynamically translate and render in their native language. Submissions are then translated to the Emergency Communication Center’s primary language prior to entry into CAD.
Configurable business rules allow administrators to customize the user experience, triggering actions such as displaying links, phone numbers, suggestions, and more.
Spark is 100% built in the cloud and is available from any device: desktop, tablet, or smartphone. With this architecture, feature updates and bug fixes are provided regularly.

Please note, this service is intended solely for non-emergency incidents. We are excited about the benefits this new technology brings to both our Public Safety Telecommunicators and the citizens we serve.

To explore the new platform, visit https://spark.backingfire.com/ricesteele.

Administrator Becker had this to say about the implementation of this technology: “As technology evolves, we must improve and adapt our processes to help residents and visitors report situations to the public safety agencies we serve.”

For more information on Spark or the Rice & Steele 911 Center, please visit ricesteele911center.org.